Pulse

By GCN Staff

Electronic tolling set go live in Massachusetts

Taking another step toward all-electronic tolling (AET), Massachusetts announced its system would go live on Oct. 28 and made plans to completely demolish toll plazas along the Massachusetts Turnpike, the Tobin Bridge and Boston tunnels by the end of 2017.

Gantries have been installed and equipped with sensors that will electronically register toll charges as vehicles pass under them. For vehicles with E-ZPass transponders, the toll will be automatically charged to the owner’s E-ZPass account. For those without an E-ZPass transponder, cameras mounted on the gantry will photograph the vehicle’s license plate and the registered owner will be sent an invoice.

AET data will be protected under the same law that covers the existing E-ZPass system, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is in discussions with public safety officials about the very limited circumstances in which an AET-generated “hot hist” or other information could be used in the case of public safety emergencies.